The suffix -ostomy denotes which meaning?

Master the Dean Vaughn Medical Terminology Test. Engage with flashcards and quizzes, detailed explanations provided. Enhance your medical vocabulary for exam success.

Multiple Choice

The suffix -ostomy denotes which meaning?

Explanation:
The meaning being tested is how the suffix -ostomy functions in medical terms. -ostomy indicates a surgical creation of a new opening, a stoma, usually to divert bodily contents to the outside or to another surface. The word part stoma itself is an opening, so attaching -ostomy specifies the procedure of forming that opening. This is why terms like colostomy or ileostomy describe making an opening from a portion of the digestive tract to the abdominal surface. It’s not about blood, or resembling something, or bile; it’s specifically about creating an opening.

The meaning being tested is how the suffix -ostomy functions in medical terms. -ostomy indicates a surgical creation of a new opening, a stoma, usually to divert bodily contents to the outside or to another surface. The word part stoma itself is an opening, so attaching -ostomy specifies the procedure of forming that opening. This is why terms like colostomy or ileostomy describe making an opening from a portion of the digestive tract to the abdominal surface. It’s not about blood, or resembling something, or bile; it’s specifically about creating an opening.

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